ABC Partners with Law Enforcement to Prevent
Underage Drinking at California Music Festivals

SACRAMENTO – The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) recently conducted operations at several popular California music festivals in an effort help licensees stay in compliance and reduce youth access to alcohol.

Venues and festivals interested in selling alcohol must be licensed by ABC. The department collaborates with local law enforcement to ensure licensed premises are safe and operating in accordance with the law.

“ABC strives to create a safe environment at these festivals by preventing underage drinking, which can lead to serious public safety risks,” said ABC Acting Director Frank Robles. “ABC is grateful to work in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies to keep festival attendees safe.”

Agents from ABC’s Southern Division enforcement team worked the Coachella and Stagecoach Festivals over three consecutive weekends in April at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. Daily attendance peaked at nearly 110,000 for Coachella and close to 82,000 for Stagecoach, making public safety a top priority. ABC ended up deploying 30-35 agents each weekend, partnering with over a dozen other local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies for both Coachella and Stagecoach.

ABC agents from the Northern Division assisted with alcohol enforcement at the BottleRock Napa Valley music festival at the Napa Valley Expo, which attracted 119,000 attendees over Memorial Day Weekend. Earlier in May, ABC agents also worked the Country in the Park Festival in Sacramento.

In total, ABC agents made 465 arrests during these popular music festival operations for violations including narcotics possession and sales, possession of false ID’s, and minors in possession of alcoholic beverages.

The most common violations ABC finds during special event operations include minors in possession of alcohol, minors in possession of fraudulent/false identification, adults furnishing alcohol to minors, and vendors illegally selling alcohol without a license. ABC agents patrolling these events often cite individuals caught committing these violations.

Illegal alcohol sales pose a public safety concern, as many do not check ID, and potentially take away business from ABC licensees who are operating in accordance with the law. The department also encourages licensees to prevent driving under the influence and check identifications closely to prevent underage drinking.

Underage drinking has numerous negative effects and is the main contributing factor in vehicle collisions for persons between the ages of 16 to 20.

Contact

Additional information may be obtained by contacting:

Public Information Office
3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (916) 419-2525

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